Joseph L. Waling was born March 17, 1916 near Brook, he graduated from Brook High School in 1933, received his bachelor's degree and master's degree in civil engineering from Purdue University in 1938 and 1940 and a Ph.D. in structural engineering at the University of Illinois in 1952. He moved to West Lafayette in 1946 from Portsmouth, Va.

He joined the teaching staff of Purdue in 1938 and left to serve as an instructor in 1941 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. He returned to Purdue in 1945 as an assistant professor of engineering mechanics and was promoted to associate professor in 1947 and full professor in 1953.

In 1963 he was promoted to associate dean of the graduate school. He retired in 1983 as professor emeritus of civil engineering and director emeritus, division of sponsored programs. At Purdue he was active in the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Engineering Education, American Concrete Institute, American Association of Advancement of Science, National Council of University Research Administrators, and Shell Structures. He was vice president of Indiana Association of Graduate School, 1977-78 and president in 1978-79. He was listed in Who's Who in Engineering, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World.

He was a member of honorary organizations, Chi Epsilon Tau, Beta Pi, and Sigma Xi and was a life member in the American Society of Civil Engineering and American Society of Engineering Education.

Dr. Waling was a member of First United Methodist Church, Elks Lodge, Lafayette Rotary Club, and John Purdue Club. He died December 10, 1996.